1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to livestock feeding equipment, and in particular to a livestock feeder which can be assembled from plastic components in various configurations for dispensing hay and the like to livestock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of animal husbandry, feed materials represent one of the most significant expenses incurred by livestock operations. Grazing animals are commonly fed hay during the colder months when pasture grazing is not a viable feeding option. Hay feeders are typically designed to provide animals with accessibility to the hay and to minimize hay loss from waste and spoilage. A major cause of hay loss is direct ground contact, which causes the hay to absorb ground moisture. Thus, depositing round and square hay bales in open pastures tends to be relatively inefficient because the hay is often scattered by the feeding animals, causing significant losses to spoilage and rot. To avoid such losses, many hay feeders are designed to contain the contents of round or square hay bales in confined areas.
Waste and spoilage can also cause significant losses in other types of animal feeds as well. Therefore, a design objective for livestock feeders is the accommodation of different feed materials with minimal waste and spoilage, while facilitating access by feeding livestock. Since feeders are sometimes relatively large to accommodate correspondingly large hay bales and large animals, they are often shipped disassembled for assembly on site by the livestock operators. Therefore, other feeder design objectives include ease of assembly and compact shipping configurations to reduce freight and handling costs. Such costs can be minimized by complying with certain size limitations imposed by freight carriers. Thus, feeder manufacturers can reduce the delivered costs of their products by sizing their respective components to fit within certain size classifications which are commonly used to determine shipping costs.
Another feeder design objective is discouraging waste caused by animals extracting more feed than they can consume. For example, some animals throw feed pulled from feeders to the ground. Significant quantities of thrown feed can thus be lost to spoilage and rot from ground contact. Animals can be discouraged from wasting feed in this manner by providing access openings to feeders with configurations designed to prevent or discourage animals from rearing their heads back and throwing feed.
The prior art includes various feeders addressing some or all of the aforementioned design considerations. For example the Payne U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,345 discloses a livestock feeder with upright leg members interconnected by horizontal retainer members forming annular rings defining an enclosure for hay bales.
However, heretofore there has not been available a livestock feeder with the advantages and features of the present invention. The present invention addresses some or all of the aforementioned feeder design objectives.
In the practice of the present invention, a livestock feeder is provided which includes a sidewall with a top and a bottom. The sidewall generally forms an enclosure adapted for receiving and retaining feed therein. The sidewall includes a rim ring located at its top, a base ring located at its bottom, and a medial ring located generally therebetween. Each ring comprises multiple individual ring members joined together at their ends by connectors or by an other suitable connecting means such as adhesive, sonic wielding, etc. A plurality of upper tier support bars extend between and are connected to the rim and the medial rings. A plurality of lower tier support bars extend between and are connected to the base and the medial rings. A skirt can be provided around the sidewall lower tier to further enhance the feed retaining characteristics of the feeder. The components of the sidewall sections, i.e. the ring members and the support bars, can be connected together by mechanical fasteners or any other suitable fastening means, such as adhesives, sonic welding, fused welding, etc.
In the practice of the method of manufacturing the livestock feeders, plastic pipe with memory properties can be extruded with predetermined curvatures defining radii less than the finished feeder radius. The rings are thus pre-compressed and are expanded during the feeder assembly procedure. Their memory properties cause the ring members to tend to compress radially inwardly at their ends to provide a clamping effect. Alternatively, the sidewall sections can be rotationally molded and connected at the ring member ends.
The principal objects and advantages of the invention include:
Providing a livestock feeder; providing such a livestock feeder which utilizes a skeletal frame comprising plastic components; providing such a livestock feeder which includes multiple sections adapted for connection together; providing such a livestock feeder wherein the sections can be rotationally molded; providing such a livestock feeder wherein the sections can be assembled from individual components; providing such a livestock feeder which utilizes relatively simple assembly techniques; providing such a livestock feeder which comprises sections adapted for easy shipment and storage; providing such a livestock feeder which is adapted for effectively retaining feed within an enclosure defined by a sidewall thereof; providing such a livestock feeder which is relatively lightweight and strong; providing such a livestock feeder which is highly resistant to the elements; providing such a livestock feeder which is easily used by livestock; providing such a livestock feeder which can be easily moved; providing a livestock feeder manufacturing method which is particularly efficient; providing such a livestock feeder manufacturing method which facilitates field assembly of the components of the feeder; and providing such a livestock feeder manufacturing method which is efficient and economical.